A Real Nightmare
by mcgirl
Summary: THis is an AU for legacy. Daniel has beenin the mental hospital for two years because his friends think he is skitzophrenic and has no escape. Written in first person.
1. Alone

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate SG-1 and am making no profit off of this. SCi fi owns it.

Summary: AU, Daniel never left the mental hospital in Legacy and has been there for a while. It is from Daniel's point of view

Spoilers: Legacy

Mental Hospital

I have been in here for two years. I know it is an alien infection but no one believes me. I keep on telling them that I am not crazy but Dr. Mackenzie and other so called "experts" tell me that that is what everyone says and I need to admit that I have schizophrenia.

"It is all these drugs that they are giving me. They say that I have not acted like myself the past few years. "It doesn't take an MD to diagnose this because they keep me drugged up every few hours. I can't concentrate or think clearly anymore. My glasses have been taken away from me so I can barely see. I would do anything right now to be able to see, to translate some text, even be chased by Gouald. I want freedom but by now I know that I will probably never get it.

They hear me scream at night sometimes. They think it is because I have schizophrenia and it is part of my delusions. There are enough bad memories in my life that will give anyone nightmares. I saw my parents die right in front of me, if that is not enough to scar a child I don't know what is. My grandfather did not want me and that hurt more then anything realizing your only family left did not want me. I was physically abused in foster homes, something which I told Jack and I hope that he does not tell Dr. Mackenzie that. One thing nobody knows is that I was sexually abused in the foster homes as well.

My psychiatrist tells me that I should talk about my delusions and what happened when I was a child. I don't have delusions anymore and I constantly tell him I am sane but as I said earlier he dismisses it without a second thought. I do not like talking about my childhood and I am sure some of the things I say would give him nightmares as well.

I should have stayed on Abydos with Sharee and left the stargate buried. I thought I had friends though and needed to be with them. I thought that they needed me. Sharee loved me and I had not had that in a long time. I should have known better then think that I was needed. No one has ever stayed with me for more then seven years and I should know better then hope for friends like that. I thought we were a family, maybe a dysfunctional family but a family that would give up there life for each other. I would do anything for them, too bad they want do they same.

I have died for them and this is what they do to repay me. I may have not been the most skillful fighter but I have gotten them out of things by using diplomatic skills as well as my skills as a linguist and anthropologist. I wonder if I was military would they visit me because for awhile I was not treated as an equal whether anyone wants to believe me or not.

My biggest fear though is not staying here but it is wondering if the reason they don't visit is because they are dead. I ask the psychiatrists about my former team members and they do not tell me anything. I remember Teal'c said that he was going back to Chulak to help free the Jaffa. He is a true friend and I hope he will come back to visit me sometime. I hope his son and Bra'tak are all right. They deserve freedom from the Gouald.

Come to think about it I deserve freedom. I feel trapped. I rarely am allowed outside this room. I want to see the flowers, the birds, the sun, and even annoying squirrels. The door is opening and it is time for my medicine. They bring guards to restrain me but it is hopeless to try to escape. The funny thing is though when I was on SG-1 I believed that we would escape when we were captured most of the time but I don't have a team or any friends anymore.

I don't want anymore medicine. Somebody help me please. They give me the medicine and I don't feel well. It is to sedate me and keep me calm to not hurt myself or others and another one for schizophrenia. I would never do that but no one listens to me. They give me the shots and leave. No one talks to me. I am invisible not as I was when we discovered the crystal skull but I am forgotten in the system. This is my life, padded walls, drugs and psychiatrists and I see no end in sight to this real nightmare.


	2. Not Real?

Information: I know some of this is not correct grammar but it is not supposed to be because Daniel has a hard time putting his thoughts together right now.

I have not been drugged yet so that is a surprise. Maybe they will let me out, see that I am not insane and apologize. This is probably some new torture that they are putting me through. Two years I would not have thought of that but now everything has changed,

I hear the door opening and run to my corner in an unsuccessful attempt to hide from them, it is Mackenzie and an orderly. They are coming closer, maybe if I close my eyes they will go away and not hurt me.

"Doctor Jackson, open your eyes" Mackenzie said.

"No, don't want to see anymore needles right now" I say rocking back and forth in my corner.

"I'm not going to give you any needles right now. You have some visitors" he said.

"You always come with needles and drugs and you lying. You are a hallucination" I said my hazy and drug induced mind could not comprehend anything else.

"Do you want to see your visitors or I will have to medicate you" he said clearly loosing his patience.

I open my eyes and say "visitors" and then ask quietly if I can have my glasses to see them clearly.

Doctor Mackenzie left without saying anything.

I am still sitting in my corner rocking back and forth closing my eyes again, not sure if I heard him right.

I hear the door open and I see a blurry figure of two men.

"It is good to see you again Daniel Jackson," one of the men said.

"Teal'c is that you, where everyone" I said.

"Indeed and you remember General Jacob Carter and his symbiote Selmak. O'Neill and Major Carter could not come today but they wish they could.

I try getting up, I fall down but Teal'c catches me. I feel safe in his arms.

"Do you want to go outside Daniel Jackson" Teal'c said.

"I'm dreaming right" I said can't believing what I just heard.

"When was the last time you have been outside Daniel" Jacob said.

"How long been here" I said.

"Two years" Teal'c said

"Since then, I don't go out except bathroom. Can I have my glasses" I say timidly still not convinced that this is not a delusion. The door is opening and I see an orderly with a wheelchair. I try getting up again but Teal'c catches me when I fall down again and guides me to the wheelchair. Jacob gives me glasses.

"Mine" I say questionably.

"Yes Daniel" Jacob said smiling.

"Keep" I say hopefully proud that I had formed a few coherent sentences out loud today

"No" Teal'c said.

"I frown but say "Outside now"

"Yes, outside now" Teal'c said.

We go outside and I look up at the sky and say "sky blue"

"Indeed, it is blue" Teal'c said.

"Like my eyes, right" I say laughing.

"Yes, Daniel Jackson like your eyes" Jacob said talking to me like I'm child I think.

"Not child" say angrily

"Of course not Daniel, you are an intelligent man" Jacob said.

"Grass is green, clouds are white, squirrels are brown, sun is yellow" I say proud of myself

"That is really good Daniel. Thank you for telling us" Jacob said smiling.

"Welcome, I speak twenty three languages to besides telling colors" I said smiling and showing it with my hands,

"Gyptian, old language, forgot what else" I say trying to remember but it is becoming cloudy again and I become frustrated.

"You can tell us later Daniel. We will come back" Teal'c said.

"Lying always lie. No one comes. Lindris and Gouald tricking me, you not real" I say trying to walk away but again fail.

"If you do not calm down we will have to call the orderlies and Doctor Mackenzie and we do not want to do this" Teal'c said.

"Get away you are evil and not real" I say screaming terrified and curl up in a ball crying.

I see an orderly and I think he is calling someone.

"Not real, not real" I keep saying.

"Daniel calm down" I assume is Doctor Mackenzie.

I am trying to get away but I can't. "They are evil," I keep repeating now.

"Increase the dose of the medicine by four and give that dose every four hours for the next twelve hours, and take his glasses away before he hurts himself" he says.

"Help me, please. We friends" looking at the two men who visited him.

"We are good friends Daniel Jackson" Teal'c says.

"Help me," I whisper again as the needle goes into me, "help me," I say again softer and then everything is dark.


	3. Confronting them

Disclaimer: I do not own stargate or any of its character

Mental Institute

"We are sorry that Daniel attacked you, it is partly our fault. We should have never let him go that long without drugs" Mackenzie said.

"Daniel did not attack us. He was scared. He doesn't know what is real or not anymore. That is thanks to you. He acts like a child who is seeing everything for the first time. He was so excited when he pointed out the colors outside and was outside. It is not healthy for him to be inside that long. He is not a dog that is only let out when he needs to go to the bathroom and that is how you are treating him" I said.

"I cannot comment on our rules and procedures of what we do with our patients. I think I know about this better then you do General," he said.

"I agree with General Carter's assessment of the situation here" Teal'c said.

"Doctor Jackson is going to be unresponsive for the next few days. I strongly suggest that you go now" Mackenzie said.

"Can we see him one more time before we go" Teal'c said.

"Yes, but as I said earlier he will be unresponsive," Mackenzie said.

"What the hell did you give him" I said angrily.

"We gave him seven ml of the main drugs that we usually give him and will for the next twelve hours. We also gave him drugs to counteract the side affects of what he has in his body," Mackenzie says.

Let's go Teal'c before I do something I regret" I said about too punch Mackenzie if we did not leave, I probably would not regret.

"Indeed" Teal'c said. I could tell that he was just as angry as I was maybe more.

The road back to the SGC was quite. We were both trying to decide what we would say to Daniel's "friends" when we got back. I can understand Teal'c not going since he has been off world helping to free the gouald but not Jack and Sam.

We finally arrived at the SGC and told General Hammond that I wanted to meet with my daughter and Colonel O'Neill.

When everyone sat down my daughter asked "what did the two of you do all day.

"Well, Samantha we went to visit an old friend" I said. Sam could tell that she was in trouble by using her full first name and giving her the glare I gave Mark and her when they were younger and got in trouble.

"What friend do you have in common" Jack said. He noticed Teal'c was giving him the glare he used for his enemies and wanted to run and hide.

"Colonel O'Neill we have visited Daniel Jackson at the mental hospital where he currently resides.

"How is Daniel doing? We really need to go visit sometime" General Hammond said.

"You think. He is not the Daniel Jackson you and I know. He is on so many drugs right now; I'd be surprised if he doesn't die of an overdose. He does not know what is real or not anymore," I said pausing.

"He has schizophrenia, has hallucinations and people talking to him General" Jack said.

"Today was the first time in two years that he has gone outside and worn his glasses. He was so excited when he got outside. He started telling us the colors of everything. It was like he was seeing it for the first time. He is a child right now, he can't think straight anymore" I said getting angrier at the minute.

"I stole a few tapes of Daniel Jackson when the orderlies left to take care of Daniel Jackson as they put him in his room and then put another tape in" Teal'c said.

"Do you have a TV and VCR we could watch the tape on" I said.

"What is the point? There is nothing that we can do dad about it. There is not a cure for schizophrenia. If there was I would do everything I could for him to get it" she said.

"The point Samantha is that he is one of your best friends or was. Let's watch the video then and see what it has on it" I say

An airman brings a VCR and TV in and we begin to watch it.

Video Near the beginning of his time

The video turns on and Daniel appears in the video.

"I am not crazy. I am not like Nick. They can't hurt me in my corner. I am safe in my corner."

The door opens and Mackenzie and the orderlies come in.

"Don't you see them, it's the Lindris. They are right behind you" and rushes to try to get the Lindris.

The orderly restrains him and puts him on the floor to sedate him.

"How many times have we talked about this. You are hallucinating. They are not real, up the dosage to eight for twenty four hours every six hours.

We all see his limp body on the screen after they inject him.

Teal'c and I saw what seven could do to Daniel. I shudder to know what eight did to a person

A few weeks later

Daniel was in his corner again when they came in.

"Please come out of the corner Daniel" Mackenzie said.

"My team SG-1 is going to save me. We always are there for each other, especially Jack. He has known me the longest and we have told each other things no one else knows. They probably are fighting against the Gouald with the Tokra or something like that because it is always longer with the Tokra. I've always been there for all of them and they will always be there for me. We are a family and family sticks by each other" Daniel said.

"There is no such thing as the Tokra, Gouald, or SG-1. Your family died a long time ago when you were eight Daniel" Mackenzie said.

No, I remember them. It is true, I remember. You are lying. They are going to help kill the lindris. " Daniel said crying.

"Daniel why would I lie to you. Give him 8 ml of the medicine" Mackenzie said.

This time it showed him not fighting at all but curled up in a ball.

A year since he got there

Daniel was in a different corner now.

"Maybe if I am in this corner, they will not hurt me" he said.

Again the same people came in.

"You are in a different corner today why is that" Mackenzie said.

"New corner can't hurt like last one" Daniel said.

"Why do we have to go over this again and again. Please get out of the corner" he said.

No, not anymore. The Lindris will get me if I come out. Why aren't my friends helping me" Daniel says and then pauses for a second "They are dead aren't they Sam, Jack, and Teal'c. General Hammond must be dead too because he would come. He tries to protect his people. That is what he told me once" Daniel said.

"How many times do I have to tell you. These people are a figment of your imagination. Put 8 mil in him" he said.

Just as they were about to do it, Daniel had a seizure and then went limp.

"Get a med team in here now" Dr. Mackenzie was saying checking Daniel's pulse.

They saw a stretcher come, put him on it and carried him out of the room.

Sam couldn't take it anymore even if it was against military protocol. "Stop, what are you trying to do torture us" she said crying.

Every one of them was crying around the table. They had forgotten how much they meant to Daniel and him to them. I know that it is easier to forgot then be reminded that you can't save a person from themselves.

"Damn it Sam, if you think this is torture for you, what do you think it was and is for Daniel to live everyday through it not knowing what is real or not. He has been living it for two years and none of you have come to visit. You were supposed to be his friends. He thinks you are dead or a figment of his imagination.

I remember when I first saw Daniel I noticed how much he admired you Colonel. There was a bond I thought was unbreakable. There was something different between Sam and Daniel. Your relationship with him reminded me of your mother and me. In the back of my mind I kept thinking when I would be told the two of you would get married. Selmak asked me about it later on and came to the same conclusion.

General Hammond I noticed that he looked to you probably somewhat of a father figure, especially when you called him son. He had not had a father figure in a long time till he came here.

I saw Teal'c as a protective older brother with Daniel. I know that he still feels this way from seeing him with Daniel. The thing is I am not sure about the three of you sitting here now."

"We should go visit him soon" Jack said.

"He is knocked out right now. Those drugs do its job. Mackenzie said not to come back for a couple days if you want to see him moving around again. He can barely walk if he tries to so I don't know what his definition of moving around is, maybe it is opening his eyes and some verbal communication" I said.

"We have been busy the last two years" Sam said.

"If that is how you sleep at night Sam then I too would say that" I said.

"You don't even know Daniel well" Jack said.

"I know what it is like being in a room like that. Everyone believing you are crazy when you are not," I said.

"I don't remember that" Sam said.

"Sometimes I was not working in the military but in a mental institution for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. We did not want the two of you to know about this" I said

"I am so sorry Dad, if I had known" Sam said.

"You weren't supposed to know Sam. Anyway we are here to talk about Daniel not me. I think that you should all visit him. He was so excited to get visitors. He acted like a kid on Christmas morning getting everything he wanted to. The sad thing is right now his mind is probably like a child's" I said.

"When do you think that we can visit him" Jack said.

"In a few days, so that you can give warning to Doctor Mackenzie to have him somewhat coherent mood" I said.

"I will go call the hospital, so we can get an appointment" Jack said.

Jack came in a few minutes later and said we have an appointment on Friday morning."


	4. Sam's view

Disclaimer: I do not own stargate or any of its character

Important Story Info: What Daniel says is not going to be coherent or correct English or grammar. I intended it to be that way.

If anyone wants to be my beta reader please tell me. I would appreciate it.

Sam's Point of View

Friday

Today is the day that we go to visit Daniel. I can't believe it has been two years since we have last seen him.

"Carter, Teal'c ready to go," Jack said.

"Yes sir," I say heading to his car.

It is about an hour ride give or take a little depending on the traffic.

"Is everyone excited to see Daniel" Jack said trying to get some communication going.

"Yes sir. I can't believe that we waited two years to visit him" I said.

"I hope that he is more alert today then he was the other day when we saw him but I doubt that is the case" Teal'c said.

It was silent the rest of the way. I kept on thinking what will happen when we see Daniel again.

Mental Hospital

They met Doctor Mackenzie inside the mental hospital.

"I need to tell you some things before you are able to see Daniel, please come into my office" Mackenzie said.

We follow him into his office. I am getting sort of scared of what he has to tell us.

"Daniel is getting worse and we have had to up the dosage of his medicine to keep him from hurting himself or others because of his increase in violence. Don't expect him to make a whole lot of sense because he is not particularly lucid. He has been having more hallucinations then just the Linvris in the past few days. He now sees Thor, the Nox, the Tok'ra, Shar'ee, you and numerous goualds. If you do not think you can go in without upsetting Daniel I suggest you stay here. If Daniel sees you upset he will probably get upset himself. Do you want to see Daniel now" Mackenzie said.

There is unanimous agreement that we all want to see Daniel.

A person unlocks Daniel's room.

"As I said earlier don't expect much" Mackenzie said leaving us.

We enter the room and see Daniel in a straightjacket, even from this far I can tell he is drugged

"Hey Daniel, do you remember us" Jack said.

"Jack, Teal'c, Sam" Daniel said more as a question then a statement.

"Yes, it's us" I said smiling

"He lied, you real, SG-1, real. I knew you real just like all others here yesterday" Daniel said smiling. Then he turns serious and says off."

"What do you want off Daniel" I say realizing too late that it sounded like I was talking to a child.

"This" he said trying to move his arms in the straightjacket

"I am not sure if we can do that Daniel" Jack said in a similar voice as I had.

"Please," Daniel said.

"We'll see what we can do" Jack said looking at me. I go knock on the door and get their attention.

"Can we get the straightjacket off Doctor" I whisper. Jack has come to the discussion as well as Teal'c.

"He is dangerous even when he is drugged" he said.

"We have got one Jaffa and two people in the Air force. I think if he tries to hurt us we can handle it" Jack said.

"Okay, knock on the door if there is a problem, ordering the orderlies to take the straightjacket off.

"Thank you" Daniel whispers smiling again once it is off.

"They treating you ok" Jack said when the orderlies leave

"Yea" he said.

"I sorry," Daniel said crying

"For what" the Colonel said.

"Being a head case" he said.

"It's not your fault Daniel" I said nearly breaking out in tears then.

They're coming. They're coming" he said.

"Only your friends are here Daniel Jackson" Teal'c said speaking for the first time.

They're coming. I hear footsteps. Footsteps" he said loudly.

"Daniel! There are no footsteps. Stay with us" Jack said impatiently.

"Footsteps" Daniel said laughing and pointed to something behind but nothing was there.

"I told you, its one of them. He's right there."

"There is no one at my side Daniel Jackson" Teal'c says.

"Yes there is" Daniel said.

"Want to get the aides" Jack said to me. I go to the door to get them. As I knock on the door Daniel starts running toward us but Teal'c is able to hold him.

"Something just went inside Teal'c" he said screaming.

"Your hallucinating Daniel" Jack said trying to stay calm.

"Don't just stand there. Get it out of him" he says panicking.

"Machello" Daniel said.

"Okay, let's raise the dose 5 ml at four hour intervals" Doctor Mackenzie said.

Daniel is kicking and screaming to try to get away fro the aides. I am sure by now there are tears in my eyes and I can't stop it. I can't help but wonder if it is like this everyday.

"Help me Jack, I've believed you before, help me, its Machello" he said before he is injected with something then he goes limp.

After his injection we leave the padded room and Mackenzie said "let's go back to my office."

We follow him into his office and sit down.

"I am sorry about that. The straightjacket was on for a reason. Daniel has his good days and his bad days. Today was one of his bad days. We should have given him more drugs before you came to calm him down" he said.

"Is that your solution, to give him drugs constantly? Isn't there something you can do about this? Daniel would never hurt us. He would never attack us" I said.

"As I have said before he is not the Daniel that you know Major, two years ago. In answer to your question about drugs it is the only treatment that we can prescribe for schizophrenic patients. Daniel will be violent because of the condition he is in. There is no cure and he will probably be here for the rest of his life. I hope we find a cure but so far there has been no success."

I hate that word "condition."

"What if it is Machello Doctor or an alien influence? Shouldn't we look into that possibility? Why would he say Machello now if it did not have something to do with him" Jack said.

"Daniel is textbook Schizophrenia. He has seen other aliens. Ask any doctor and he or she will tell you the same thing. I wish it was something else but it is not. You want a second opinion you can probably find one but he or she will say the same thing as I have" Mackenzie said.

"Maybe we will get one Mackenzie" Jack said.

"You are feeling guilty aren't you Colonel. It is understandable that Teal'c hasn't been here but he went before you. You are scared about seeing what your friend has become. You and Major Carter feel bad that you have not visited him in two years. If you need a psychiatrist to talk to I can find one for you to talk to you. You saw it yourself, he attacked Major Carter. You need to accept this" he said.

"We're not crazy" Jack said winching after saying that.

"You are right you are not crazy. People like Daniel are not crazy they are schizophrenic something that they cannot help if you are referring to him" Mackenzie said.

"No, I would never do that. Daniel's my best friend" Jack said.

I was on the verge of tears at this point when Jack looked at me.

"We'll talk later and get that second opinion doctor, let's go home" Jack said.

We left the building and I burst out in tears.

When we got to the car Jack hugged me and stayed like that for a few minutes and eventually got in the car and left.

"It's no far sir. How could this happen to Daniel. He used to finish my sentences for me and know what I was thinking. The man who would stay with me if I had a problem even if it interrupted what he was doing" I said still crying.

"I know Sam, I know. Lets go to the base and later go to my house and we can talk about this and remember Daniel" he said.

"Yes sir" Knowing that if we talked about it more in the car all of us would break down and cry.

It is strangely comfortable going into the SGC. General Hammond wanted an update on what was going on with Daniel so here we are. We got off the elevator and suddenly we see Teal'c collapse. I can't loose another team member is all I think as we head to the infirmary to figure out what is wrong.


	5. Leaving

Information: In some situations Daniel will not speak full sentences but one or two words. This is because he is drugged and has a hard time thinking straight.

Daniel's point of view

I wake up feeling a little, okay a lot disoriented. I really do hate these drugs that they give me. I hear the door open and it's Mackenzie and his needles. Now is the time to think straight Jackson, you can do it. Teal'c needs my help. Of course I do not even know that Teal'c is sick because the thing going into him could be another one of my schizophrenic hallucinations. Try to think positive Jackson because this is the only way that you will get out.

Dr Mackenzie comes in; maybe he'll listen to me. Who am I kidding he never listens to me after all I am schizophrenic and do not know what I am talking about.

"Dr Jackson" he says giving me this questionable look.

"Stop one second" I say trying to gather my thoughts.

"Look Daniel. It's time for your meds" he said. That is the problem his solution is always meds which should not always be the solution but I am the crazy one here.

"I don't uh, I don't need anymore drugs I say. What I need is the ones you got in my system, out of my system. I don't see any hallucination anymore" I say hoping that information will get him to believe me but I am sure people say that all the time and it is not true. .

"No Daniel. You need rest" he says

"I think I have rested enough. Just tell me one thing. Is Teal'c sick" I say

"Not that I am aware of. I have not been to the SGC today" he says.

I hit my head on the wall, not a smart thing to do if you are sane or trying to convince someone you are sane. It is not like it will hurt me, its padding. I should know I have been in here two years, unless I am strapped to a bed but it is still in here. I've hit my head on it before but then they restrained me and I do not particularly like that.

"Dr Jackson, I insist you calm yourself. Otherwise I will have you restrained and further sedated" he said.

Strike One

Have I mentioned yet that I do not like being restrained. It is my second least favorite thing besides the drugs. If you are in one of those beds you can't move.

"Why are you so quick to jump to the conclusion that I am crazy. That I'm dangerous, I'm out of control. It's cos I'm kinda acting that way, aren't I. I just need to get these drugs out of my system. Look, Doctor I know you probably here this from patients all the time but I think I'm cured"

"You're right I hear that all the time. I'm afraid it doesn't work that way. You don't get well of something like this overnight" Mackenzie said.

Strike two for me

"You do if there is an alien organism inside of you that was making you think you were sick when you really weren't."

"And you found this out how" Mackenzie said.

"Machello told me" I said.

"Machello" Mackenzie said.

"He's an alien old man we found on P3C 599" I say.

"Doctor Jackson you haven't had any visitors" he said.

"No, of course I haven't. You see Machello is dead

"Dead? Yet he told you something was inside you making you crazy" Mackenzie said sounding skeptical.

Strike three, this is not good but at least he is listening to me. Actually I think he is humoring me right now.

That did sound like I was crazy and I'll be the first to admit it, a dead person talking to you cannot happen.

"That's a good point. I wouldn't uh I wouldn't buy that either. Just do me a favor, ok? Contact the SGC find out if Teal'c is sick. If he is promise me you'll let me speak to Jack O'Neill."

He and the orderlies walk out giving me no drugs. Score one for me. I am glad that I was able to form some coherent sentences. I hope I can do it again when Jack comes. I can't help but think that Mackenzie did not call or Jack will not come. Of course he will come I try to reassure myself but he didn't come for two years why would he visit me again. I saw the pity and fear in his eyes, en everyone's eyes when he and the rest of SG-1 visited here.

The door is opening and I hope that it is Jack instead of Mackenzie and his orderlies. I look at the door and it is Jack. Jack has come, he'll believe me. We've been through a lot together. I have died for him, of course that is crazy in itself. Maybe that is another part of me being schizophrenic.

I need to be coherent a little longer to explain to Jack, explain to everyone. Focus Daniel, focus. You can do it, you have three PhD's at least you think you do. How sad is that in that I can not remember if I have a PH.D.

"Hey Daniel" Jack said once the door is closed.

"You don't uh, you don't need to walk on eggshells anymore. I'm better" I say. He came, I can't believe he came. I always knew he would come.

"So I hear. Uh it's not that I don't believe you but um why do you think it happened all of a sudden" Jack said.

"I don't completely understand it myself, but I saw something come out of me and come into Teal'c and then I heard Machello's voice" I say.

Jack still does not believe me and is looking at me like I am crazy which I prefer schizophrenic but if I was him I probably wouldn't believe me either.

"Uh Machello" he said.

"Just hear me out. I'm guessing it wasn't Machello. It was probably some sort of technological or organic recording. It said something about delivering Machello to the vile Gouald, which made me start thinking. Maybe I had some sort of Goa'uld killing inventions inside of me. One of Machello's killing inventions."

"And that's what made you nuts" he said.

"Well since I don't have a gouald, a side affect of this invention must make people act like they're"

"Nuts" he says.

I hate it when it cuts me off like that.

"Schizophrenic, look Teal'c is sick right, he does have a gouald inside of him" I finally say again hoping he will get the message.

Please tell me you believe me I think scaring to say the words because I might say the wrong words. I am not sure if I want an answer.

"I need to get Dr Mackenzie," Jack said banging on the door.

More drugs now. I was hoping Jack would believe me. I guess I should be glad that he at least talked to me, realizing now that I could quite possibly be stuck in this place forever. Jack was my last chance and he did not even say bye. Why is it taking so long? Please stop the torment, just give me the drugs.

The door opens and both Jack and Mackenzie come in. What is Jack doing back here. Is he here to rescue me

"Daniel, we are going to get you out of this place for awhile" Jack said.

"Real," I say can't quite believing what I am hearing.

"Yes, it is real Daniel" Jack said.

There is always a but though. I notice the "awhile" and think that that means that I will come back to my hell. At least I will get out for some time and it will be off here.

"We are going to have to give you a mild sedative if you want to go so you can be safe in the car as well as a straight jacket" Mackenzie said.

I can either go back with Jack, given a mild sedative and straightjacket or be given more sedatives and medicines locked up here. That is a tough one.

" Jack," I said giving up on forming anymore coherent sentences for the day, but I am proud of what I did today.

Mackenzie injected it into me and put the straightjacket on. I was so used to it now I didn't even flinch. The straightjacket is also a familiar object around me. At least it keeps me warm sometimes when it is cold. They don't care what I think about the heating system.

I was put in a wheelchair and brought to Jack's car.

"Ready to go Daniel" Jack said as my seatbelt was buckled for me by one of the orderlies. How sad is that that I can not even buckle my seatbelt. Well I am in a straightjacket and cannot use my arms.

"Yes" I said hoping that this was the last time I would ever have to see mental health. I'm so tired though all I want to do is go to sleep. I lean on the car door as Jack drives up.


	6. Coming back

Disclaimer: I do not own the song unwell by and belonging to matchbox 20 and am making no money off of this.

Important Information: Italics are what was said in the episode

Other Information: Jack's point of view will cover the rest of the episode legacy.

Jack's point of view

There is a change in Daniel's condition. What the hell does that mean? Has he gotten better or worse? We just saw him and it does not look like he could get worse. He attacked Carter; luckily Teal'c stopped him in time.

Before I know what I'm doing I go to my car and drive to mental health. I don't know why I am doing this. Teal'c is sick, shouldn't I be helping him. There is nothing we can do for Daniel but we can at least try to save Teal'c. I am very close to turning around but Daniel is my best friend and if he needs me I am coming.

Mental Health

It is strange that they let me in so quickly. We had to do a lot more stuff before, maybe that is for first time visitors.

I am led to Daniel's room after Dr Mackenzie had told me the situation.

"_Hey Daniel_," I say. He looks better then he did before but that is not saying much. He still looks pretty bad.

"_You don't uh; you don't need to walk on eggshells anymore. I'm better_" Daniel said.

"_So I hear. Uh it's not that I don't believe you but um why do you think it happened all of a sudden_" I say skeptical. He has been in here two years diagnosed with schizophrenia and suddenly he is better. That is hard to believe.

"_I don't completely understand it myself, but I saw something come out of me and come into Teal'c and then I heard Machello's voice_" he said

"_Uh Machello_" I say. Teal'c is dieing and Mackenzie tells me something has changed. He is just as crazy as he was the last time we came to visit. If Teal'c dies while I am here talking to someone who is crazy then he is going to be sorry. Last time I checked Machello was dead and dead people do not talk to people who are alive. I don't care how many movies are made about it. Only crazy people talk to dead people.

"_Just hear me out. I'm guessing it wasn't Machello. It was probably some sort of technological or organic recording. It said something about delivering Machello to the vile Gouald, which made me start thinking. Maybe I had some sort of Goa'uld killing inventions inside of me. One of Machello's killing inventions_."

"_And that's what made you nuts_" I say still not believing it. I am thinking about leaving right now. I do not have time for this.

"_Well since I don't have a gouald, a side affect of this invention must make people act like they're_"

"_Nuts_" I say

"_Schizophrenic, look Teal'c is sick right, he does have a gouald inside of him_" he said.

How does he know Teal'c is sick, unless someone told him and I doubt that Mackenzie would tell him this. This is not good, what if he is right. I locked my best friend up for two years and he might not have been crazy. Don't worry Daniel I will get you out of here.

"I need to get Dr Mackenzie," I said banging on the door trying to get someone's attention.

"Did Daniel do something" Mackenzie said.

"Yes, not really, I don't know. He knows Teal'c is sick. I am beginning to think that this is some alien machine that made him crazy" I say. Real smooth O'Neill I am sure he will follow my request now I think to myself.

"I agree somewhat with you Colonel. I have filled out a document that will temporarily let him leave here. It will depend on his behavior and actions if he will come back to Mental Health" Mackenzie said.

"Let's go tell him" I say leaving.

"We will have to give him a mild sedative and put him in a straightjacket at least when he is in the car so he does not hurt you or himself" he said.

"Fine, I just want to get Daniel out of here" I say.

We come back to Daniel's room.

"Daniel, we are going to get you out of this place for awhile" I said.

"Real," Daniel said.

"Yes, it is real Daniel" I said.

"We are going to have to give you a mild sedative if you want to go so you can be safe in the car as well as a straight jacket" Mackenzie said.

It looks like Daniel is thinking this over or at least trying to. I would have said yes by now but he is pumped full of drugs right now.

"Jack," he says. I assume that means he wants to go with me. It is sad that he cannot form coherent sentences right now.

I see them inject something into Daniel and he does not even flinch. It also looks like he is used to the straightjacket. I don't see how a person can become used to something like this. I guess when you are here for two years they do this a lot. Who am I kidding this is the type of place where people put people to forget them when they cannot handle the person.. They just pump him full of drugs and put him in a room and forget about him like I have.

They put him into a wheelchair. I wonder if he can walk. He is probably on some strong drugs. We finally get to the car and the orderlies put him in it and buckle his seatbelt. Once the door is shut he almost immediately falls asleep.

I turn the radio on because I figure it won't wake him up and it is low. I need something to occupy my thoughts. I hear the song unwell by Matchbox 20. I really don't want to listen to it right now but I can't turn it off.

All day staring at the ceiling

Making friends with shadows on my wall

All night hearing voices telling me

That I should get some sleep

Because tomorrow might be good for something

Hold on

Feeling like I'm headed for a breakdown

And I don't know why

But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell

I know right now you can't tell

But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see

A different side of me

I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired

I know right now you don't care

But soon enough you're gonna think of me

And how I used to be...me

I'm talking to myself in public

Dodging glances on the train

And I know, I know they've all been talking about me

I can hear them whisper

And it makes me think there must be something wrong with me

Out of all the hours thinking

Somehow I've lost my mind

But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell

I know right now you can't tell

But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see

A different side of me

I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired

I know right now you don't care

But soon enough you're gonna think of me

And how I used to be

I've been talking in my sleep

Pretty soon they'll come to get me

Yeah, they're taking me away

But I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell

I know right now you can't tell

But stay awhile and maybe then you'll see

A different side of me

I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired

I know right now you don't care

But soon enough you're gonna think of me

And how I used to be

Yeah, how I used to be

How I used to be

Well, I'm just a little unwell

How I used to be

How I used to be

I'm just a little unwell

How many times did Daniel tell us he was not crazy. Sure he knew that something was wrong, that he was unwell but it could have been anything. It could have been stress or an alien device. The drugs they gave him could have worsened it. I wonder if at the end he knew that Mackenzie would come and get him. We refused to see any other alternative other then him being schizophrenic.

Before I know it we are at the base. I have to get Daniel a visitor's pass. He used to have one of the highest clearances in the country. He gave everything to this project and now he is a visitor to a place he opened.

"Daniel, wake up" I say to him.

"Don't want to" he said ignoring me

"We have to save Teal'c" I say getting angry. Hopefully this will get him to comply. Teal'c is his friend too.

"Off" he said.

"You want the straightjacket off" I say.

"Yes" he said giving me a look that was so like the Daniel I knew.

For a second I thought the old Daniel was back but then I saw a look of desperate defeated look and knew that the Daniel I know has not come back yet. I silently wondered if he would ever come back.

"Alright, " I say undoing the straightjacket. I expect for him to take it off but he does not. I was surprised at first but then I remembered back to the padded room where he let the orderlies put it own with no movement at all They did it by themselves without Daniel's help. If he resisted or tried to help did they hurt him. That would be a logical explanation for him not moving. I take the straightjacket off and unbuckle his seatbelt.

"Can you walk" I say.

He tries to get out but immediately he falls, luckily I catch him before he falls on the concrete. I call the infirmary and they bring a nurse with a wheelchair. I help put Daniel in the wheelchair and I take him to the infirmary.


	7. home again

Information: Words in Italics are in the episode legacy

Infirmary:

"Hey Daniel" Janet said. Daniel didn't even look at her.

I need to take some of your blood and do a cat scan before you can take a shower.

She finally finished and said like she was talking to a small child ". See Daniel that did not take long. How about you go take a quick shower, shave, and change clothes. Colonel O'Neill can help you."

"No, can do it self," he said.

"Daniel, you can hardly walk. You cannot expect to stand by yourself in a shower" Janet said almost loosing her patience.

"How about we strike a compromise, I'll be by the lockers in case Daniel needs anything. We can find a chair for you to sit in when you take a shower. Everyone gets what he or she wants and is happy," I say.

"Fine, there is a chair around somewhere that you can use" Janet said.

Daniel finally got in the shower and I waited for him to get out or need help. He put a towel around him and I finally saw it. There were huge bruises on his arms and legs as well as needle marks. It looked like he got beat up. If he found out who did this to Daniel they would be sorry.

"Here are some clothes. Thought you would rather be in these BDU's then in the clothes you were wearing. I got a razor for you to shave to" I said handing the clothes and razor to him.

A few minutes later Daniel came out dressed but he had not shaved.

"Do you mind helping me shave? I don't want to cut myself. The drugs make me shake" he said.

"Of course not, we're friends aren't we" I said.

"I don't know if we are or not. I don't know anything right now" Daniel said.

I helped Daniel shave and we went back to the infirmary. This time Daniel walked. He was still unsteady but I would catch him if he fell.

Infirmary

"_Your dopamine levels are back to normal_" Janet said when they came back.

"_I'm back to normal_" he said.

"We'll wait and see what happens next Daniel but hopefully you are back to normal" Janet said.

Wrong thing to say Janet I thought

"Am I a doctor" Daniel asked.

"Yes, three Ph.D.'s in anthropology, philology, and archeology" I say.

"Then Dr. Frasier it is Dr. Jackson to you" he said coldly.

This was getting tense. Daniel was really mad at the Doc, but that is to be expected.

Sam decided to break the silence.

"_Okay, let's say your concept about Machello's Goa'uld killing invention is right. Why did it take so long to go into Teal'c" _Sam said

"_I don't know. Maybe it needed a close proximity to sense his Goa'uld larva. Look, I had a lot of time locked in that little room to think about this. It makes sense. Why am I back to normal? And coincidentally, hours after touching me, Teal'c is sick_."

Everyone could tell that it was hard for Daniel to be constructing concise sentences right now and that he was getting frustrated.

"_Why didn't I get sick when we were playing cards the other night and you were jumping all over me?_ Also why did it not get into Teal'c when he went to visit you earlier" I said.

"_Because last I heard you don't have a Goa'uld larva _and I am not sure why it happened earlier" he said getting frustrated.

"_All right, but Daniel look, we ran every test we have. MRI, CAT scan, X-rays, full blood work up. There is nothing foreign in Teal'c or his symbiote_" Janet said.

"_It's there. I know it! I saw it_, plus you ran all these tests on me and diagnosed me with schizophrenia and it was an alien device. So excuse me Doctor if I don't believe your precious machines are accurate all the time" he said.

This was getting more interesting at every turn.

"_Daniel, those bodies had only been there a month. Machello's been dead for six months. How could he be responsible_" Sam said.

"_What if he planted those killing devices there six months ago? Or a year ago? Then the Linvris walk into their meeting_" Daniel said pausing.

"Why do you expect me to know all the answers" Daniel said on the verge of crying.

"You are the smartest one in this room. This is also your idea" I said.

"I'm sorry, it's the drugs probably" Daniel said close to crying.

"We know that Daniel. Anyway this theory is like _a land mine_" I said.

"_Yes! World War I mines are still going off in France today, even though the soldiers that planted them are long since dead_" Daniel said getting excited.

"_You think that Machello made this thing right_" Sam said.

"_Righ_t" Daniel said.

I was looking over Carter's shoulder when I spotted the object on the computer.

"_It's the tablets_" I say.

"_I picked that up in the Linvris chamber_" Daniel said

"_Why did he make so many page turning devices_" Janet said.

"_It could be our landmine_" Carter said.

"Why don't we all take a break? It will take awhile for the objects to come" I say.

At first there was a questioning look on both Janet and Carter's face but then they realized what I was getting at.

"Yeah, I am going to go get some food, anyone else want anything" Jack said.

"I might go in a few minutes" Janet said

"Yea" Sam said.

"How about you Daniel, want to come" I said.

"Can I get some coffee" he said.

"Not yet, in a couple of days you might" Janet said.

"I might lay done for a few minutes. Wake me up if anything happens but I will probably not go to sleep" Daniel said.

"Okay, we will" I say.

"Thank you but I am not going to sleep" Daniel said as he put his head on the pillow.

Within a minute we could tell that he was asleep.

"The drugs are doing this to him. One of the side effects of the drugs he was given makes him tired. I am surprised he made it this long without falling to sleep" Janet said.

"Let him sleep. We need to get something to eat and see how Teal'c is doing" I say.

A few hours later

The stuff we need arrived and I go to wake Daniel up.

"Daniel wake up" I say.

Daniel finally wakes up and looks at me.

"How long have I been asleep" Daniel said.

"A few hours but the material has arrived. It is time to start" I say.

"Can I go in the lab" he says.

"No" Janet said.

"Why not" Daniel said.

"You are in no condition to do this" Janet said.

"Why" he said.

"Because I said so" Janet said.

"Just because you say something does not mean that it is true. You said I had skitza, skitza" he said loosing his thoughts.

"You showed all the signs of schizophrenia Dr. Jackson. You can watch from the observation room. You are lucky I allow you to do that. You should be in bed" Janet said.

Lab

"_On the right is the PTD from the Linvris and the one on the left is from Area 51_" Janet said.

"_They look exactly like the one we found on Argos. The Linvris probably thought it was one of their own_" Sam said.

"_It's a good way to hide a mine_" I say.

"_Yeah. Question is, how do we set it off_" Sam said.

"_No. Okay. Um, let's see what happens when we use it on the tablet. There they are. I'm counting five, ten altogether. So if all PTD's are the same, we're looking at ten per device._" Janet said.

"_That explains how I got infected. There were nine Linvris_."

"_And when you activated the device, the last one went into you_" Sam said.

"_Let's try and immobilize one and put it under the scope_" Janet said.

They are going through the gloves and infecting Carter and Frasier. This is not good.

"_The gloves are breached_" Janet said panicking. Both of them are trying to get out of the gloves and are getting infected.

"_Whoa"_ Sam said

"_Whoa! Who-whoa_" I say. It is coming toward me.

"_General Hammond, B Haz Mat Observation right away_" Daniel said.

Three of those things just went into me. This is not good.

"_No_" Janet said screaming.

"_Great_" I say.

"_We have a breach_" Daniel said to Hammond

"_Is there any chance of further contamination to the base_" Hammond said.

"_Judging what happened to Daniel Sir, as long as we stay in here and don't go near anyone else, the base is probably secure_" Janet said.

"_Dr Warner to B Haz Mat Three Observation stat. Containment team to B Haz Mat Three for containment integrity scan_" Hammond said.

"_There has to be an answer in this tablet_" Daniel said.

"_Nothing Colonel. All the specimens are inside us. Since we're infected by multiple organisms we can expect our symptoms to be rapidly acute re anything we can do from in here" I say. I need to do something_" Frasier said.

"_I'd like to apologize in advance for anything I may say or do that could be construed as offensive as I slowly go nuts_" I scream! I don't want to go crazy.

"_Likewise Colonel_" the doc said.

"_Colonel? Janet_" Sam said.

"_Carter_?" Her eyes are glowing she is a gouald.

"_Sir, there's nothing wrong with me."_

"_Sam, you've got four of those things in you_" Daniel says.

"_I know that, but I feel fine"_ she said.

"_You're not seeing or hearing any of this stuff_" I say.

"_No Sir, I feel completely normal. Somehow I must be immune_."

"_Dr Frasier, what can I do to help_" Warner said.

"_Not much I'm afraid_" she said.

"_Doctor, there's nothing wrong with me. Sir, I'd like Dr Warner to take some tests, try to figure out why_."

"_I'm afraid that's not possible. That would risk another person being contaminated, if not the entire base_."

"_Sir, those organisms left my body, I might be immune. I may be the only one who can go in there and help them_."

"_We don't know that Dr Jackson. I can't let you risk it. Dr Warner will stay here. We'll get whoever else you think can help. But you're going to have to figure it out in there"_ Hammond.

"_I understand Sir. Whoa! Oh, I think I spoke too soon_" Sam said.

"_What's wrong_" Daniel said.

"_Oh, God, something's happening_."

"_I think they're dead. Daniel, I could have sworn I heard_"

"_Machello_" Daniel said.

"_Yes. He said my Goa'uld captor is dead, but I don't have a Goa'uld_."

"_You did_" Daniel said.

"_That has to be it. Janet said that when a Goa'uld dies, it dissolves into a host and leaves a unique protein marker."_

"_So these Goa'uld killing inventions die because they detect the protein marker? That doesn't make any sense. Why isn't Jack immune? He should have some sort of protein marker left over from Hathor's Goa'uld" _Daniel said.

"_No. No. That Goa'uld left Colonel O'Neill's body and died before it had a chance to take over. Janet, can you hear me? Can we extract my blood and inject it into everyone that's infected."_

"_No, your blood types don't match. You have to separate the protein from the rest of the blood_" Warner said.

"_Okay, how do I do that_?"

"_You don't have the necessary equipment there. Even if you did, it would take weeks_"

"_Come on, there's got to be a way! We've got all this stuff."_

"_I'm sorry, but you need to use high pressure liquid chromatography to separate and isolate the protein factions from the rest of the blood. That would yield thirty to forty proteins. Then you'd have to test each one of them to find_._"_

"_Okay! I get the point."_

"_Centrifuge" _Frasier said.

"_What? What about the centrifuge_" Sam said.

"_Put as much blood as possible in centrifuge_" Frasier said.

"_You're wasting your time Major_" Warner said.

"_Okay. Now what_" Carter said

"_It's too hot. It's too hot. They're trying to suffocate us_" Janet said.

"_Janet_" Sam said

"_No! You're a Goa'uld! Stay away_" Janet said.

"_I'm not a Goa'uld, Janet. It's me- Sam. I'm your friend_"

"_Put the test tube in the centrifuge_" Janet said.

"_Janet. Get back with me here! We're trying to separate that protein from my blood, remember? The centrifuge just finished. Now what?"_

"_Major, you're wasting your time. If she thinks there's another way, she's not in her right mind. There's only one way to separate that protein."_

"_You don't need to. Just need to separate red blood cells_" Frasier said

"_What? What's she talking about_" Daniel said

"_I see where you're going. I see where you're going. Don't even try to separate the proteins. Just separate the rejectable parts and give them all the rest_." Warner said

"_What_" Daniel said

"_The part that makes blood types incompatible is just the red blood cells and a few things in the plasma. If we can get those out, the rest should be safe_" Warner said

"_Quick freeze_" Janet said

"_Quick freeze_" Sam asked.

"Major_, look in the freezer over there. See if there's any dry ice._" Warner said

"_Yeah, there's a ton of it_."

"_Good. Follow my directions very carefully_" Warner said.

"_Looks good. Pick your first patient_."

"_This was your idea. Wanna be first_" Sam said injecting Janet

"_You look terrible"_ I said.

"_Thank you Sir. I need to give you a shot. Will you let me do that_" she said giving me the shot

"_Janet" _Sam said.

"_Uh, I'm hearing_" Janet said

"_Machello" _Sam said.

"_Yeah. Ahh_" she said

"_Ugh_" I say as the things come out of my ear.

Teal'c's bed

Frasier is going to inject some of Carter's blood into Teal'c's IV. I hope it works.

"_Okay. Well, I don't know if this is going to work. He'll have the marker but he'll still have a Goa'uld larva. Depends on how smart Machello made the little beggars"_ Janet said

"_Machello_" Teal'c said

It looks like Teal'c is going to be fine. We are all around him right now in a silent vigil.

I cannot imagine how Daniel lived for two years like that. I could barely stand a few hours. I look at him and wonder if we will ever be friends again. I didn't like him being put in mental health but I didn't believe him when he said an alien or alien device could have caused this. I hope Daniel will be alright. I need to go talk to him. I turn to talk to him but I see him fall and catch him in time.

"Let's get Dr. Jackson into a bed" Janet said clearly worried.


End file.
